Thin-film crystal-structure-processed mechanical devices, and methods and systems for making

ABSTRACT

Thin-film laser-effected internal crystalline structure modified materials suitable for the creation of various small-dimension mechanical devices, either singly or in monolithic arrays, such as MEMS devices. Processing is carried out at room temperature and atmospheric pressure.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention arises from a new area of recognition anddevelopment focussed on the technology of low-temperature,crystalline-structure-processed devices, and in particular mechanical,mechanical and electrical, so-called MEMS (micro-electromechanical),layered and stacked devices, and devices organized into monolithicarrays in layers, that opens up a broad new field of potential devicesand applications not heretofore so inexpensively and conveniently madepractical and practicable. This new field of possible devices, fromwhich a number of inventions, one of which is specifically addressed inthis disclosure, springs effectively from the recognition that internalcrystalline-structure processing performed within the bodies of a widevariety of different materials, is capable of enabling fabrication ofsmall (perhaps even down to devices formed from small molecularclusters), versatile, widely controllable and producible, accurate,mechanical, electromechanical and MEMS devices that can be formed veryinexpensively, and, with respect to laser processing, in uncontrolledand room-temperature environments not requiring vacuum chambers, etc.

Especially, the invention offers significant opportunities for thebuilding, relatively cheaply and very reliable, of very tiny mechanicaldevices that can be deployed in dense two-dimensional andthree-dimensional complex arrays and stacked arrangements. These devicescan take on a large range of different configurations, such asindividuated, single-device configurations, monolithic single-layerarray arrangements of like devices, similar monolithic arrays ofcombined electrical and mechanical devices, and in vertically integratedand assembled stacks and layers of complex devices, simply notachievable through conventional prior art processes and techniques. Byenabling room-temperature fabrication, otherwise easily damaged anddestroyed layer-supporting substrates, including fabricated-deviceunder-layers, can readily be employed.

The field of discovery and recognition which underpins the inventiondisclosed herein, can be practiced with a very wide range of materials,such as non-semiconductor and semiconductor materials, piezoelectricmaterials, dielectric materials, in arrays that can be deployed on rigidsubstrates of various characters, and on a wide range of flexiblematerials, such as traditional flex-circuit materials (polymers andplastics), metallic foil materials, and even fabric materials.Additionally, the field of development from which the present inventionemerges can be employed with large-dimension bulk materials, as well aswith various thin-film materials. With regard to the latter category ofmaterials, the process of this invention can take advantage oftraditional thin-film processing techniques to shape and organize uniquedevices, which are otherwise prepared in accordance with the internalcrystalline-structure-processing proposed by the present invention, thusto achieve and offer mechanical properties in a broad arena of newopportunities.

In this setting, the invention disclosed in this document isspecifically related to crystal-structure-processed thin-film mechanicaldevices, either as individuated, single devices, or in arrays of devicesorganized into monolithic, layered-type arrangements, as well as tomethodology and system organizations especially suited to thepreparation and fabrication of such devices. The invention proposes aunique way, employing, for example, different types of lasers and otherillumination sources effectively to reach into the internal crystallinestructures of different materials for the purpose of controllablymodifying those structures to produce advantageous mechanical propertiesin thin-film devices, at sizes very difficult, and sometime not evenpossible to create via prior art techniques.

From the drawings and the descriptions which now follow, it will becomereadily apparent how the present invention lends itself to the economic,versatile, multi-material fabrication and use of a large variety ofdevices, ranging from relatively large devices to extremely smalldevices (as mentioned earlier), and including various forms of MEMSdevices, without the fabrication of these devices, insofar as laserprocessing is involved, necessitating the use of special controlledprocessing environments, or surrounding processing temperatures abovetypical room temperature.

With this in mind, the significant improvements and specialcontributions made to the art of device-fabrication according to theinvention will become more fully apparent as the invention descriptionwhich now follows is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block/schematic view illustrating a system which implementsthe methodology of this invention for the creation of single or arrayedmechanical devices in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating single-side, full-depthinternal-crystalline-structure laser processing to create a mechanicaldevice in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 3 is very similar to FIG. 2, except that here what is shown istwo-sided processing according to the invention.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but here showing processingoccurring from an opposite side of material in accordance with theinvention.

FIG. 5 is a view illustrating single-side, partial-depthinternal-crystalline-structure processing according to the invention.

FIG. 6 is similar to FIG. 2, except that here single-side processingincludes a flood, or wash, of general heating illumination according toone form of practicing the invention, with this illumination strikingmaterial on what is shown as the upper side in FIG. 6.

FIG. 7 is similar to FIG. 6, except that it illustrates two-sidedprocessing wherein a relatively translated laser beam processes theupper side of material as pictured in FIG. 7, and a wash, or flood, ofother illumination (from a laser or another light source) aids from thebottom side of material as pictured in FIG. 7. FIG. 7, in particular,illustrates a condition where material that is being processed inaccordance with the invention is resting on a substrate which is nottransparent to the wash of illumination coming from the bottom side ofFIG. 7.

FIG. 8 is similar to FIG. 7, except that here the material beingprocessed is resting on a substrate, such as glass, which is essentiallytransparent to a wash of illumination striking from the bottom side ofFIG. 8.

FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate two different views of a stylizedmicro-cantilever beam structure (mechanical device) constructed inaccordance with the invention.

FIG. 11 shows an isolated view of a single micro-cantilever mechanicalbeam structure with a darkened region presented in this figure toillustrate, variously, sensitizing of a surface of the beam for thedetection of a mechanical event, a chemical event, a biological event,etc. and also generally suggesting how, nested within the mechanicalmaterial making up the cantilever beam of FIG. 11 an electronicstructure, such as a transistor, could be formed in a portion of thecantilever beam.

FIG. 12 is a view illustrating single-side, full-depth internalcrystalline-structure processing of bulk material in accordance with thepresent invention.

FIG. 13 is similar to FIG. 12, except that here what is shown issingle-side, partial depth, bulk-material processing.

FIG. 14 is a view illustrating internal-crystalline-structure processingemploying a single-crystal seed which is employed to characterize theend-result internal crystalline structure that can be achieved in thematerial pictured in FIG. 14.

FIG. 15 is a stylized, schematic, isometric view illustratingfragmentarily a single planer array of plural mechanical devicesprepared in a single monolithic, generally planar structure inaccordance with the present invention.

In FIGS. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12 and 13, the darkened regions in thematerial being processed represents the processed regions in thesematerials.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Turning now to the drawings, and referring first of all to FIG. 1,illustrated generally at 20 is a system which is employed according tothe present invention to implement a methodology for processing theinternal crystalline structure of various different thin-film materialsin accordance with the invention, and all for the purpose of creatingone or more thin-film mechanical devices that are intended to performrespective, predetermined, pre-chosen tasks. Included in system 20 are ablock 22 which represents a suitably programmed digital computer, ablock 24 which is operatively connected to block 22, and whichrepresents the presence of appropriate laser structure and controls,such as beam-shaping and optics controls using optical or maskingmethods, fluency controls, angularity controls, and other, for definingthe functional characteristics of a appropriate laser beam shown at 26which is to be employed in accordance with the invention to produceinternal crystalline-structure processing of any one of a number ofthin-film different materials, as will be more fully mentioned below. InFIG. 1, a material for processing is shown generally at 28, with thismaterial having a layer form, and being suitably supported on anappropriate supporting substrate 30 which rests upon, and is anchoredto, a three-axis translation table (a driven table) 32.

Table 32 is drivingly connected to a motion drive system, represented byblock 34 in FIG. 1, which drive system is under the control of computer22. This motion drive system, under the control and influence ofcomputer 22, is capable of translating table 32, and thus materialsupported on this table, in each of the three usual orthogonal axesknown as the X, Y, and Z axes, such axes being pictured at the rightside of FIG. 1. Very specifically, control over motion of table 32 isdirected by an appropriate algorithm 36 which is resident withincomputer 22, and which, fundamentally, is equipped to direct a laserbeam for processing in accordance with device configuration and deviceinternal mechanical properties that have been chosen and selected, andfor which algorithm 36 is especially designed.

The exact nature of the construction of computer 22, of controls 24, ofalgorithm 36, and of the driven table and the motion drive therefor,form no part of the present invention, and accordingly are not furtherdetailed herein.

Fundamentally, what takes place in the operation of system 20 to producea given type of mechanical device is that a user selects a particularkind of device to build, selects an appropriate size and configurationfor that device, and then determines what are the best and mostappropriate internal mechanical properties that should be created inthat device in order to enable it to function properly with respect toimplementing a selected task. In general terms, the materials out ofwhich a particular material can be selected to produce such a device arethose whose internal crystalline structures are closely linked to thematerial's mechanical properties. Specifically, the various useablematerials are those whose internal crystalline structures can bemodified by laser processing to produce desired mechanical propertiesfor a device. Various materials with respect to which the presentinvention can conveniently and very successfully work will be discussedvery shortly, but it might be noted at this point that these materials,with respect to their precursor states, i.e. their states beforeprocessing, range from fully amorphous materials through and into arange of various categories of polycrystalline materials.

For example, practice of the invention can begin with precursor materialwhich can fit into any one of the following categories: amorphous,nanocrystalline, microcrystalline, polycrystalline, and bulk. All suchmaterials can be generally described as having an internal crystallinestructure which, initially in a precursor state, is less than singlecrystalline in nature.

Materials which can very success fully be processed in accordance withthis invention include silicon, germanium, silicon-germanium, variousdielectric materials, various piezoelectric materials, copper, aluminum,tantalum and titanium to name a few. For the purpose of furtherillustration in this description, a manner of practicing the invention,and a device emerging from that practice, will be described inconjunction with flail-layer-depth processing of a precursor amorphoussilicon material, which will thus be treated as the specific kind ofmaterial which is pictured at 28 in FIG. 1. Also for the purpose offocused illustration herein, this precursor illustrative amorphoussilicon material is deployed as an appropriate layer on a glasssubstrate, which is designated by reference number 30 in FIG. 1. Othersubstrate materials, as will become apparent may include quartz, variousmetals, plastics, flex materials, fabrics and others. AU of thesematerials have what are referred herein as relatively low melting (ordestruction) temperatures which are well below the melting temperatureof the silicon precursor material.

As has already been suggested above, practice of the present inventioncan produce a wide variety of uniquely configured and constructedmechanical devices which can be extremely small in size, ranging downeven to a small molecular cluster size. Devices which can be producedinclude various MEMS devices, micro-mechanical devices that aresensitized to act as sensors for various environmental events, such aschemical and biological events, various motion elements generally,oscillating elements, cantilever beams, actuators, relay switches, andother devices.

With respect to formation of a particular device's three-dimensionalconfiguration, this can be done in any one of a number of conventionallyknown ways. The exact processes employed to give three-dimensionaldefinition to a finally produced device, as for example to singulate anelement from a mass of material in which it has been formed, and/or toindividuate (for performance purposes) plural devices in a monolithicarray of devices, can take the form of various conventional processeswhich form no particular parts of the present invention. Thus they arenot discussed herein in detail.

For the purpose of illustration herein, processing will be described inthe setting, initially, of creating a single micro-mechanical cantilevermechanical device, using single-side, translated laser-beam processing.While various specific types of lasers can be employed, such as anexcimer laser, a solid-state laser, a continuous-wave laser, and a femtolaser to name several, description will proceed in the context of usingan excimer laser.

Describing now a typical practice implemented by the present invention,an amorphous thin-film silicon layer having a selected precursorthickness, is suitably formed on or attached to the surface in a glasssubstrate, such as substrate 30. This assembly is placed on table 32with appropriate initial alignment, and is then translated relativelywith respect to a laser beam, such as excimer laser beam 26, which beamis pulsed during translation of the material relative to the source ofthe laser beam, to produce full-depth, small-area quick melting andre-crystallizing of the silicon material. An appropriate excimer laser,driven and pulsed at an appropriate pulse rate, and with an appropriatefluency and footprint in the sense of how and with what outlines itstrikes the surface of the amorphous silicon material, is directedtoward this surface under the control of computer 22, algorithm 36, andcontrols 24.

In accordance with the desired end-result internal crystallinestructure, and in a relative motion sense, the impingement point of thisbeam from a laser is moved in a defined way over the surface of theamorphous silicon material to produce rapid, full-depth melting andre-crystallizing in a manner designed to achieve the pre-determineddesired internal crystalline structure. Employing an excimer laser inthis fashion allows one to process material in such a fashion that thehigh-temperature events are essentially confined very locally to theregions specifically where material melt is occurring. Very little, andno dangerous, temperature rise occurs in the surrounding area, such aswithin substrate 30, and the whole process can take place in a normalatmospheric environment and completely at room temperature.

FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 show several different approaches to implement suchlaser processing. In FIG. 2 the laser beam strikes the surface of theamorphous silicon material on the upper side which is spaced away fromsupporting substrate 30. Processed material is indicated (darkened) at27. In FIG. 3 dual-sided processing takes place with two laser beamscooperating on opposite sides of the material, with the lower beameffectively processing the underside of the silicon material through thetransparency afforded by glass substrate 30. Such dual-sided laserprocessing effectively allows melting and re-crystallizing to take placesimultaneously on opposite sides of the supported silicon material, andwith each laser, therefore, requiring only a portion of the powerrequired for similar processing to take place under the influence of asingle laser beam. Where a mask is employed for beam shaping, thisdual-laser approach promotes longer-term durability of such a mask—atypically expensive device which is subject to significant degradationat high laser power levels. Two-sided dual-beam processing can also beeffective to allow processing to be performed in otherwise difficult toreach area with just a single processing beam.

In FIG. 4 single-side processing is demonstrated where, in this case,the processing laser beam is directed toward the silicon material fromthe bottom side (i.e. the substrate supported side) of this material.

FIG. 5 illustrates single-side, less than full-depth processing of thesilicon material, here employed to create ultimately a mechanical devicewhich effectively becomes a device that is composited with unprocessedmaterial lying beneath it, as illustrated in FIG. 5.

FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 show different manners of modifying the kinds of laserprocessing illustrated in FIGS. 2–4 inclusive, and specifically amodified processing approach which employs an additional broad area washof illumination 38 from another illumination source which could be, butis not necessarily, a laser source. In FIG. 6 this wash of illuminationstrikes the upper side of the silicon material in companionship withlaser beam 26, and is effective essentially to create an overalltemperature rise in the silicon material which permits a lower energylaser beam to perform appropriate full-depth processing. In FIGS. 7 and8 this wash 38 of illumination is directed toward the underside of thesilicon material and the supporting substrate, with FIG. 7 illustratinga condition where the substrate support material shown at 40 is nottransparent to illumination. In this implementation of the invention,the silicon material which is being processed is heated in a conductionmanner through heating of substrate 40. In FIG. 8, glass substrate 30 isagain pictured, and here, the wash 38 of illumination passes throughthis substrate to heat the silicon material above the substratedirectly.

According to practice of the invention, once a particular mechanicaldevice to build has been decided upon, the desired three dimensionalconfiguration of this device is chosen, and algorithm 36 is designed todirect laser processing in such a fashion as to create a regional volumeof material within the processed material on the substrate adequate forthe ultimate individuation and singulation, if that is what is desired,of an end-result mechanical device. With such a chosen deviceconfiguration in mind, the most desired internal mechanical propertiesare predetermined, and algorithm 36 is also constructed so that it willcontrol the operation of a laser beam, such as beam 26, to produceinternal melting and re-crystallization in order to achieve an internalcrystalline structure that will yield the desired mechanical properties.In some instances, it may be more appropriate to create differentiatedregions of crystalline structure within a device being built in order toproduce different specific mechanical properties in different locationswithin that material. Such is entirely possible utilizing the processingapproach which has just been outlined above.

FIGS. 9 and 10 show a side cross section and an idealized top plan viewof a stylized cantilever-beam mechanical device 42 which has been sodefined by processing within the body of silicon material 28.

FIG. 11, in an idealized fashion, isolates an illustration of cantileverbeam 42, and shows by way of suggestion, produced by the darkened patchwhich appears in FIG. 11, how an appropriate event sensor, such as achemical sensor, a biological sensor, and other kinds of sensors couldbe applied, in any suitable manner, to the beam so as to respond toselected environmental events in a manner which causes deflection in thebeam. The present invention is not concerned with the specific kinds ofsensitivity for which a device, such as beam 42, is to be prepared, andthus details of how sensitizing can take place are not presented herein.

FIG. 11 can also be read to illustrate yet another interesting componentoffering of the present invention which is that it is possible to createwithin the mechanical body of the device, such as cantilever beam 42, anelectronic device, such as a semiconductor transistor which can bethought of as being represented by the darkened patch appearing in FIG.11.

FIGS. 12 and 13 illustrate use of the invention to modify internalcrystalline structure inside a bulk material 43, either with afull-depth approach (FIG. 12) or with a partial-depth approach (FIG. 13)in accordance with the invention. These illustrations are included inthis disclosure just to give a fuller understanding of how the inventionworks well with bulk materials as well as with thin-film materials.

FIG. 14 illustrates still another processing approach which utilizes asingle-crystalline material seed 44 which rests in a tiny indentationformed in an appropriate layer 45 of a supporting material, such assilicon dioxide. Seed 44 lies adjacent an amorphous thin-film layer 50of silicon. Laser processing takes place with initial illumination ofthe seed, followed by laser-beam progression from the seed in a definedpattern over the amorphous silicon material. This action causes thesingle crystalline character of the seed 44 to become telegraphed intothe internal structure of silicon layer 50, thus to characterize theinternal crystalline structure in this layer to make it more nearlysingle crystalline in structure at the conclusion of processing.

FIG. 15 illustrates, in simplified fragmentary form, a monolithic layerstructure 52 of processed, initially amorphous material which as beenprocessed in an array fashion, and at discrete locations, to create amonolithic array of mechanical devices such as the devices shown at 54.While it is certainly possible that each and every one of devices 54 isessentially the same in construction, and intended to perform the samekind of function, it is entirely possible, according to practice of theinvention, to differentiate the functionalities and thus the structuresof these arrayed elements.

It should thus be apparent that a unique process capable of creating awide range of unique mechanical devices, down to small molecular clusterdevices, with a high degree of precise control over internal mechanicalproperties, is made possible by the present invention. Also madepossible is the opportunity to do this insofar as laser processing isinvolved, in a completely atmospheric environment and at roomtemperature, and also in a manner which is one that does not attack anddestroy supporting structure, such as substrate structure.

Accordingly, while several embodiments and manners of practicing theinvention, and a system for doing all of this, have been illustrated anddescribed herein, it is appreciated that variations and modificationsmay be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

1. A method of forming from a precursor thin-film material havingselectively and contrallably changeable crystalline-structure-relatedmechanical properties, a thin-film mechanical device possessing (a) apredetermined configuration, and therein (b) a set of such mechanicalproperties, that are desired for the performance by the completed deviceof a pre-chosen mechanical task, said method comprising placing aprecursor body of such thin-film material in a processing zone,selecting a volumetric region with an appropriate spatial configurationin that body which is suitable (a) for the creation therefrom of thedesired, predetermined device configuration and (b) for theestablishment therein of t& desired set of crystalline-structure-relatedmechanical properties, within the processing zone, subjecting theselected region to a controlled changing of the crystalline structuretherein, and thus of the related mechanical properties, and by thatprocess, achieving in the selected region the desired set of mechanicalproperties.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the precursor materialtakes the form of one of an amorphous material, a nanocrystallinematerial, a microcrystalline material, and polycrystalline material. 3.The method of claim 1 wherein the precursor material takes the form ofone of silicon, germanium, silicon-germanium, dielectric materials,piezoelectric materials, copper, aluminum, tantalum and titanium.
 4. Themethod of claim 1 wherein said placing of a precursor body of materialin the processing zone involves placing such material on the surface ina supporting substrate where the substrate is formed from one of glass,quartz, plastic materials, metal foil materials, dielectric materials,and piezoelectric materials.
 5. The method of claim 1 wherein themechanical device produced is a MEMS device.
 6. The method of claim 1,wherein the body of material takes the form of a layer having a definedthickness, and said subjecting involves melting and re-crystallizing ofzones in that layer Through the full depth of the layer at the locationof each zone.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the body of materialtakes the form of a layer having a defined thickness, and saidsubjecting involves melting and re-crystallizing of zones in that layerthrough less than the full depth of the layer at the location of eachzone.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein said subjecting is performed ina manner which differentiates and distinguishes different zones in aregion, whereby such differentiated and distinguished zones possess,after the subjecting step, different internal properties.
 9. The methodof claim 1, wherein said subjecting is performed by a controlled energybeam which is directed toward a surface of the material body.
 10. Themethod of claim 9, wherein the controlled energy beam takes the form ofa laser beam.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein during the subjectingstep, the location of beam-body impingement moves over the mentionedsurface of the body.
 12. The method of claim 1, wherein said subjectingis performed by a pair of controlled energy beams which are directedtoward opposite surfaces in the material body.
 13. The method of claim12, wherein the controlled energy beams are laser beams.
 14. The methodof claim 13, wherein, during the subjecting step, the locations ofbeam-body impingement move over such opposite surfaces in the body. 15.The method of claim 1, wherein the controlled changing of crystallinestructure produces an enlargement of internal grain size.
 16. A methodof making a task-specific, thin-film mechanical device at leastpartially out of a chosen, thin-film material whose local mechanicalproperties are closely linked to local, internal crystalline structure,said method comprising determining an appropriate spatial configurationfor the device, on the basis of said determining, deciding upon theappropriate distribution in such configuration of local mechanicalproperties needed for the finished device to be capable of performingthe intended specific task, and applying suitablecrystalline-structure-modifying processing to a body of the chosenthin-film material to achieve therein a processed region which possessesboth the determined appropriate spatial configuration for the device,and a distributed, local, internal crystalline-structure structurearrangement that produces the decided-upon, distributed, localmechanical properties.
 17. A mechanical, thin-film, device-buildingmethod comprising selecting a particular thin-film mechanical device tobuild for the purpose of performing a particular task, in relation tosaid selecting, determining for the selected device an appropriatespatial, three-dimensional configuration, and an inner mechanicalproperties characteristic within that configuration, suited for theparticular task, choosing a thin-film material for the creation of thedevice, and selectively and controllably processing the internalcrystalline structure within the chosen thin-film material, and within aregion in that material matching the determined device configuration,thus to achieve within that region the desired, determined mechanicalproperties for the selected particular task.
 18. An ambient-temperaturemethod for creating, from a precursor, thin-film material havingselectively and controllably changeable crystalline-structure-relatedmechanical properties, a thin-film mechanical device possessing (a) apredetermined configuration, and therein (b) a set of such mechanicalproperties, that are desired for the performance by the completed deviceof a pre-chosen mechanical task, said method comprising placing aprecursor body of such thin-film material in a processing zone,selecting a volumetric region with an appropriate spatial configurationin that body which is suitable (a) for the creation therefrom of thedesired, predetermined device configuration, and (b) for theestablishment therein of the desired set ofcrystalline-structure-related mechanical properties, within theprocessing zone subjecting The selected region to a controlled changingof the crystalline structure therein, and thus of the related mechanicalproperties, said subjecting taking place in the context of a local-onlymaterial-body temperature rise, and by that process, achieving, in theselected region, the desired set of mechanical properties.
 19. A methodof forming, from a precursor thin-film material having selectively andcontrollably changeable crystalline-structure-related mechanicalproperties, a thin-film mechanical device possessing (a) a predeterminedconfiguration, and therein (b) a set of such mechanical properties, thatare desired for the performance by the completed device of a pre-chosenmechanical task, said method comprising, forming a thin-film precursorbody of such material, placing that formed, thin-film material body in aprocessing zone, within that zone, applying processing to the body toestablish, within a selected region therein which has an appropriatespatial configuration, an internal crystalline condition which ischaracterized by possession of a set of the desiredcrystalline-structure-related mechanical properties, and at some pointin time during implementation of the method, creating from the thin-filmmaterial body the desired, predetermined device configuration, and doingthis in a manner whereby, on completion of the method, the desiredconfiguration is substantially defined by material processed in theselected region.
 20. A method of making a defined-task, thin-filmmicro-mechanical device within a size range which, at the lower endtherein, extends to single-crystal-level devices, said method comprisingchoosing for the creation of such a device a thin-film material whichpossesses crystalline-structure-defining mechanical properties,selecting a target three-dimensional spatial configuration and a set ofmechanical properties effective to achieve such a device for the definedtask, and processing the crystalline structure of an appropriatethree-dimensional quantity of such chosen material to meet the selectedtarget configuration and set of mechanical properties.